TR-398 Issue 2 & Issue 3 WiFi Testing with LANforge

The TR-398 WiFi Performance test plan by the Broadband forum provides a comprehensive set of tests to qualify the performance of WiFi access points (APs) to be deployed in residential and small office indoor environments. The TR-398 Issue 3 includes new test cases as compared to TR-398 Issue 1 and 2. The new test cases in TR-398 Issue 3 include Latency-under-Load, Quality of Service, Multi-Band throughput, Mesh test cases, 6E support and automated calibration of the testbed. This automation logic allows customization of test execution and pass/fail metrics to allow interested users to run advanced tests not specified in TR398. ( The TR398 issue-3 document from Broadband Forum is still in progress. Pass/fail thresholds and perhaps some other small changes to the test procedure are still being resolved.)

The testing solution provides equipment vendors with the ability to confirm APs in a lab environment before deploying them, enabling device manufacturers to conduct tests during the development process of APs.

Candela Technologies offers an automated TR-398 testing system at a reasonable price, providing all necessary testing hardware, including multiple wireless terminal simulators, traffic generators, RF enclosures, turntables, programmable attenuators, and fully automated testing software, along with PASS/FAIL result reports. Simple operation satisfies testing requirements, and an all-in-one test report is easily obtainable.

TR398 solution includes these building blocks

Hardware

• LANforge CT523c Multi station Emulation and Traffic Generation Hardware – minimum 6 dual-band radios, 32-11ax radios, 6-eth ports (optional 10gE Ports).
• CT521b systems for auto-calibration and for interferer devices needed for some tests.
• CT820a-Medium RF Chambers.
• CT822a-Medium RF Chambers with internal antenna supports.
• CT840a or CT840b Large RF Chamber with Programmable Turntable.
• CT714 4 Port Programmable Attenuators.
• RF Splitters/Combiners.
• Directional Antennas.
• RF Cables.

Software

• TR-398 Issue 2/3 Automation Software
• Normal LANforge WiFi testing features are included at no additional charge.

Key Tests from TR-398 Issue 2 Document

• 6.1 RF capability
  • 6.1.1 Receiver Sensitivity Test
• 6.2 Baseline performance
  • 6.2.1 Maximum Connection Test
  • 6.2.2 Maximum Throughput Test
  • 6.2.3 Airtime Fairness Test
  • 6.2.4 Dual-band Throughput Test
  • 6.2.5 Bidirectional Throughput Test
  • 6.2.6 Airtime Fairness Test
• 6.3 Coverage
  • 6.3.1 Range Versus Rate Test
  • 6.3.2 Spatial Consistency Test
  • 6.3.3 802.11ax Peak Performance Test
• 6.4 Multiple Stations Performance
  • 6.4.1 Multiple Stations Performance Test.
  • 6.4.2 Multiple Association/Disassociation Stability Test.
  • 6.4.3 Downlink MU-MIMO Performance Test.
• 6.5 Stability/Robustness
  • 6.5.1 Long Term Stability Test
  • 6.5.2 AP Coexistence Test
  • 6.5.3 Automatic Channel Selection Test
• 8 Mesh test cases (TR398 issue-3) Requires additional testbed components
  • 8.1.1 Mesh Roaming Test
  • 8.2.1 Mesh Backhaul Rate vs Range Test
  • 8.2.2 2-hop Mesh Backhaul Rate vs Range Test

Key Tests from TR-398 Issue 3 Document

• 6.1 RF capability
  • 6.1.1 Receiver Sensitivity Test (6E not supported at this time)
• 6.2 Baseline performance
  • 6.2.1 Maximum Connection Test
  • 6.2.2 Maximum Throughput Test
  • 6.2.3 Airtime Fairness Test
  • 6.2.4 Dual-band Throughput Test
  • 6.2.5 Bidirectional Throughput Test
  • 6.2.6 Latency under Load Test
  • 6.2.7 Quality of Service Test
  • 6.2.8 Multi-band Throughput Test
• 6.3 Coverage
  • 6.3.1 Range Versus Rate Test
  • 6.3.2 Spatial Consistency Test
  • 6.3.3 802.11ax Peak Performance Test (4x4 160Mhz and higher not supported at this time)
• 6.4 Multiple Stations Performance
  • 6.4.1 Multiple Stations Performance Test.
  • 6.4.2 Multiple Association/Disassociation Stability Test.
  • 6.4.3 Downlink MU-MIMO Performance Test (6E not currently supported, not required by TR398i3).
  • 6.4.4 Multicast Performance Test (not officially part of TR398 Issue3).
• 6.5 Stability/Robustness
  • 6.5.1 Long Term Stability Test
  • 6.5.2 AP Coexistence Test (6E not currently supported.)
  • 6.5.3 Automatic Channel Selection Test (6E not supported at this time)
• 6.6 Mesh test cases (TR398 issue-3)
  • 6.6.1 Mesh Backhaul Rate vs Range
  • 6.6.2 2-hop Mesh Backhaul Rate vs Range
  • 6.6.3 Mesh Roaming Test
• 7 AP Stability/Robustness
  • 7.1.1 RSSI Accuracy (Not supported at this time)
  • 7.1.2 Channel Utilization Accuracy (Not supported at this time)
  • 7.1.3 Noise Accuracy (Not supported at this time)

Key Measurements

PASS/FAIL results table for each test per the TR-398 Issue 2 document.

Detailed per test measurements.

See an example report